Published: October 22, 2024
MONROVIA – Senator Prince Kermue Moye, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, has strongly denied any involvement in efforts to unseat current Speaker Fonati Koffa. Moye, now serving as a Senator for Bong County, issued a public challenge to Speaker Koffa and his leadership, urging them to allow a thorough audit by the General Auditing Commission (GAC) of both the past and current administrations of the House of Representatives.
Responding to recent accusations from lawmakers that he is one of the masterminds behind the movement to remove Speaker Koffa, Moye dismissed the claims as baseless and irresponsible. During a press conference at the Capitol Building in Monrovia on Monday, October 21, 2024, Moye stated unequivocally that he has no interest in meddling with the internal affairs of the House.
“This is the national legislature, divided into two separate Houses: the House of Representatives and the Liberian Senate. Whatever happens in the House of Representatives is their business, and whatever happens in the Senate is exclusively our business,” Moye said, emphasizing his detachment from the situation.
Moye, who previously chaired the House’s powerful Committee on Ways, Means, and Finance, went further to describe the accusations against him as “comical, unthinkable, and unfortunate.” He dismissed the notion that he or other lawmakers are attempting to avoid an audit of their financial dealings. Instead, he doubled down on his call for transparency and accountability, aligning himself with the Unity Party’s platform of good governance.
As the current Chair of the Senate’s Committee on Ways, Means, Finance, and Budget, Moye challenged Speaker Koffa’s administration to push for a comprehensive audit by the GAC. He insisted that both current and past House leadership should be held accountable for any financial improprieties.
Moye also defended his record as Deputy Speaker, refuting claims that he manipulated the national budget for personal or political gain. “I challenge anyone to prove that I spent more than a million U.S. dollars beyond what was allocated in the national budget under Finance Minister Boima Kamara’s leadership,” Moye stated.
He pointed out that after his election to the Senate in 2021, the budget for the Deputy Speaker under Koffa’s leadership mysteriously ballooned. According to Moye, while the official allotment for the Deputy Speaker’s budget in 2023 was US$1 million, the actual spending exceeded US$4 million—a glaring discrepancy that has yet to be explained.
Moye accused Speaker Koffa’s leadership of deliberately stalling the GAC audit process since February 2024, suggesting that the Speaker and his administration may be trying to cover up financial mismanagement. He called on the House leadership to stop deflecting blame and allow the audit to expose those truly responsible for the alleged misuse of public funds.
“The House leadership should not shy away from this audit. We need to establish whether the looting of public resources occurred under the current or previous leadership, instead of scapegoating others who are now in the Senate and have no business with the House of Representatives,” Moye remarked.
He also rejected allegations that his push for Koffa’s removal is motivated by a desire to gain control over the national budget and other financial instruments. Moye called on Speaker Koffa and his allies to focus on the six-count resolution at the heart of the call for Koffa’s removal, rather than engaging in baseless political attacks.
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